East Coast Fabric Shopping

 

 

This is a very long overdue post.  When we went to North Carolina in September to visit family, I planned on visiting one of the vendors that I met at the Vegas Fabric Show held August at the Orleans.

John Maiwandi, representative for S & R Sales was at the Vegas Fabric Show with beautiful home decor fabrics on display.  We got to talking, he gave me his card and I noticed that they were located in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

I asked if his shop was on the way to Braswell, Georgia (a scheduled business trip for hubby).  John said yes, just take exit such and such and take two turns and it's right there.  Told him I'd call him when we were on the way to Georgia.  OMG, it was more than overwhelming.

I quickly looked at several bolts and made selections.  Loaded up the car and off we went. We were on a "schedule" and needed to be in Braswell by a certain time. They were so helpful and pulled bolts out for me to look at in my hurried power shopping. 

 

The Vegas National Fabric Show

When the International Textile Show, ITE decided to no longer have a trade show in Las Vegas,  Alan Zinck asked Nancy Riniger, one of his executives to check into venues to hold a fabric similar type of show.   Alan Zinck, owner of Zincks of Berlin, a fabric wholesaler and outlet in Berlin, Ohio and other fabric jobbers still felt a need for a fabric and trim show in Las Vegas.  Nancy checked several hotel properties and the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino and its sister property, The Orleans Hotel and Casino were selected for the venues.

Through Nancy’s efforts, The Vegas National Fabric Show, VNFS held its first show in March 2016.   This show is held twice a year, March and August.  The March show is held at the Gold Coast Hotel and the August show at The Orleans.  Both are easily accessible, have free parking and exhibitors and attendees avoid the congestion of being on the Strip. 

 

Vendors come from different parts of the country.  New York, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, California, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina, Missouri, and Ohio are all represented. 

There is a wide variety of products shown.  Fabrics run the gamut.  Imported mud cloths from Ghana, African tribal fabrics, woven textiles from India, tanned leather, gorgeous home decorator fabrics for drapes, upholstery, and pillows, indoor outdoor treated fabric and more.  Brands like Michael Miller, Waverly, Robert Allan were shown.  Apparel fabric included denims, velvets, cottons, knits, flannels, voile, gauze and blends.  Fabrics for crafting were also displayed – minky fabric, burlap, and quilting fabric.  Buttons, laces, fringe trim, appliques, tassels, gimp trim and the list goes on.   Although it is a smaller show, the fabrics and products displayed were overwhelming.